


Skipping Like a Stone

by lawsofman



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23120398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawsofman/pseuds/lawsofman
Summary: In which Gwen reunites with Alfie in season 3 - episode 5 after the season 2 Sabbath debacle regarding Arthur’s near death experience.
Relationships: Alfie Solomons & Original Female Character(s), alfie solomons & gwen shelby
Kudos: 18





	Skipping Like a Stone

**Author's Note:**

> This could be read as a stand alone one shot, but it is also a companion piece with my fic Burn to Ash and Bone that gives a little insight to Gwen’s fractured relationship with Alfie. I plan to do a few of these that give us a glimpse into their lives outside of the main story. In the latest chapter of BTAAB (IX), there’s a mention of Gwen’s late husband, and this gives us just a tiny bit more info.

Gwen rolled her eyes at the complete silence that fell in the servant’s quarters as she entered. Arthur, John, Michael, and Johnny Dogs were all looking at the floor as she grabbed a glass and sat in the only vacant chair at the table. 

“This where he’s keeping us now?” She asked, trying to break the tension, as she poured herself a glass of gin, downing it, then pouring herself another. Noticing the tension was unbreakable in the room, Gwen reached across the servant’s table and grabbed a cracker to keep herself occupied. Michael kept to himself, leaning on the sinks, and Johnny Dogs sat in a corner with a glass and his own bottle of rum. 

Gwen crossed her trouser covered legs and leaned back in her chair, nursing her glass. She made eye contact with Arthur, but he just shook his head. 

“You’ve got two choices, Michael.” John opened his mouth first, not to the surprise of anyone else in the room. “You fuck off to America with Arthur, join the Apaches, or you marry the girl.”

“Marry what girl?” Gwen questioned. Michael pushed off of his leaning point and walked over to John with his hands in his pockets. 

“This isn’t a joke,” He ground out at John. Gwen looked to Johnny, who shook his head -he was staying out of it-, and then to Arthur to fill her in. 

“Knocked his girl up,”

“He _what_?!” Gwen shouted. Michael flinched. She stood from her seat, slamming her glass on the table. “Stupid boy!” Gwen gave him light smacks to the head and shoulders. “Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could you be so reckless?!”

“Arthur, are you really goin ta live wit the Apaches?” Johnny, always clueless, excitedly asked Arthur.

“ _Johnny_!” Gwen snapped.

“Sorry,” He apologized and put his hands up when he saw the flames in Gwen’s eyes directed at him.

Arthur ignored Johnny’s question and fired one of his own to Michael.

“Told her father yet?”

“No,”

“He’ll fucking shoot ya, mate.” John shot back with a grin and took a puff of his cigar.

“You sure the kid’s yours?” Arthur asked. Michael sighed and continued pacing through the room.

“I wish I never told you,”

“Then think of marriage as a beautiful road, flowers all the way down it.” Michael stopped pacing and turned to look at Arthur as if he had just sprouted three heads. Michael looked to Gwen and John.

“Is he joking?”

“Oh, it’s hard to tell these days,” John quipped.

“Do you love the woman?” Arthur asked. Speechless, the only thing Michael could get out was:

“Fucking _what_?” He asked this with the most disgusted look on his face. 

“Guess that answers that question.” Gwen shot back, giving Michael a look. 

“Go and marry her like the rest of us,” Arthur shrugged.

“ _No_ ,” Gwen argued, looking at Michael, “Do _not_ listen to Arthur.”

“ _Yes_ , listen to Arthur.” Arthur argued back. “You didn’t get knocked up when you were married, Gwen, so I don’t feel you have a leg to stand on.” 

“That you know of, you jerk,” Gwen shot back. Her brothers looked to her in shock. “But that’s none of your business,”

“You were married?” Michael asked. The idea of his cousin being married threw him for a loop. It was never mentioned in passing. Never brought up…ever, really. This was news to him. 

“Aye, she was,” Johnny Dogs spoke up. “Two years. Poor fella went out drinkin’ and never came home. Ain’t that right, Gwen?” Johnny took a mouthful of rum.

“I’m sorry to hear,” Michael consoled awkwardly. At this, Gwen grew a coy look on her face. She took a swig of gin and answered.

“Ada married a Communist, I married a monster. It was curious that he just…disappeared,” Gwen swirled her glass as Michael tried to decipher what she was saying. Gwen set the glass down and leaned over the table. “He put his hands on me, Michael, so I put him in the ground.” Michael’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. The silence that followed was enough to make John snort, immediately breaking the tension in the room. 

“Which reminds me,” Johnny Dogs spoke up again. “Reminds me of the time when Tommy wanted _us_ to get married to join the families,” He chuckled joyfully. “You’re ever lookin to settle down again, dear Gwendolyn, you just let me know,” He tilted his glass towards Gwen with a smile on his face as Michael looked at Johnny with pure confusion. She lifted her glass in cheers to the man across the room.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Johnny.” A bell rang throughout the quarters.

“Tommy said when dat bell rings, we’re all to go to the big room.” Johnny Dogs informed the group. “Come on. Tommy has a plan,” He jumped off of his spot and immediately came over to Gwen. He held his elbow out for her to hold as she stood, and led the way with Gwen on his arm.

* * *

“ _God strike me where I stand_ ,” Gwen muttered to herself when she came face to face with Alfie Solomons. Rage was the predominant emotion that seemed to swirl through her entire body just at the look of him. She let go of Johnny’s arm, crossing her own arms -sneakily putting a hand in the breast of her jacket. She slowed her walk until she was right in front of the brute.

“Gwendolyn, darling, it’s been a long time.” He held his arms open, cane in one hand. Gwen just stood there, arms still crossed, her palm resting on the handle of the gun. She spat at his feet.

“There couldn’t be _enough_ time to put between us, Alfie. Not even close,” The door creaked with the final Shelby. 

“There’s that Shelby fortitude, that _grit_ , that drew me in, innit.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t a Shelby when I met you, was I? So fuck off with that,” Gwen’s arms didn’t waver, but she could see Alfie’s eyes sizing her up. 

“Arthur!” He greeted. Gwen turned in time to see Arthur take a startled step back into the door. He immediately turned around and tried to leave, but was stopped by Tommy.

“Arthur, come here,” He beckoned.

“ _Shalom!_ ” As Arthur turned around and reluctantly came back into the room, Gwen pulled her gun out, pointing it directly between Alfie’s eyes.

“Easy,” Alfie put his hands up.

“ _Gwen_ ,” Tommy warned. “put the fucking gun down.”

“What did I tell you?” She spat. Alfie raised an eyebrow. Her voice went into a low growl. “I told you that the next time I saw your face, I was going to put a bullet in it. Maybe we should lock the doors, have you take a seat, then sacrifice a bloody goat, much like you did for your fucking Sabbath, huh?” 

“Now, if we _do_ that -right- it wouldn’t do much because the sacrifice needs to happen on the Sabbath, doesn’t it. You following?” Alfie explained.

“You’re right,” Alfie nodded, his hands fell as if the situation was sorted. Gwen pulled the hammer back on the gun and his hands went right back up. “We’ll just sacrifice you to our gypsy gods then, hm. Don’t need a fucking Sabbath for them,”

“Gwendolyn, I see that you’re still harboring ill will towards me for causing harm to your Arthur-,”

“You beat him and then had the coppers take him away like the fucking coward that you are, Alfie! And you tried to take my business.” 

“-and those feelings are okay. We can work through this together, Gwen. I think this meeting will be beneficial to all of us, don’t you, Tommy?” His eyes shifted to Tommy, then back to Gwen.

“I said put the gun down, Gwen. Now.” Tommy ordered in a bored tone. Gwen stared hard into Alfie’s eyes, then pushed the hammer back down and lowered her weapon. “Come take a seat,” Tommy instructed to Gwen. Alfie brought his cane back down, allowing some relief to his hip. Gwen also noticed the slight breath of relief that he tried to hide. 

Giving Alfie one more glare, she moved to pass him, but made sure to stick her foot out to take the cane out from under him. Alfie stumbled, but was quick to right himself. She could see her brothers trying to keep their faces straight.

“Gwen!” Tommy shouted, exasperated.

“Oops,” She shrugged in response.

“You know I love when you get feisty with me, Gwendolyn dear,” Alfie responded. “but I do not think it appropriate in front of your family. You remember what happened when they caught us the first time?” John looked like he was ready to hurl at the memory and Arthur looked like he was going to tackle Alfie Solomons straight through the great glass window. 

Tommy let it go on, slightly amused at his sister’s expense. 

“Hmm, I agree,” She played along. “I should’ve let my brothers beat you to death when they had the chance and be done with you.” 

“Sweetheart, you wound me, right. I’m feeling it right in here,” He patted where his heart was. 

“That’s just your old age catching up to you. And besides,” Gwen got up from her seat and walked around him to make herself a drink. As she turned, tumbler in hand, she finished with, “You don’t have a heart, Alfie,” Alfie shot Gwen a look that let her know what they’d be finishing this conversation at a later time, but for right now, he had things to settle. 

“Arthur, please, come sit!” Alfie turned back to Arthur, who was still standing by the door like a frightened animal. Arthur slowly made his way to a chair, with Alfie’s unneeded assistance sitting down. “I owe you a little something, don’t I? I do, come on,” Gwen looked over to Tommy, getting his attention and silently asking him what the hell was going on. He just blinked and turned his attention back to their eldest brother and Alfie. Alfie grunted as he sat in the chair next to Arthur. He turned to Arthur, grabbed one of his hands and patting it. 

“Listen, Arthur,” He started, “I want you to know, right, that whatever happened between us back then, that was business.” He looked up to Gwen, “It was just business, alright?” Gwen could hear the deep breaths Arthur was taking to steady himself. Gwen knew she could never possess that kind of self control after what Alfie and his thugs did to him. After what he did to her.

“And I also want you to know that I have made my apologies via my own God for abusing a very holy day to get you clinked up and battered, _which I did_.” He looked over to Gwen, then back to Arthur, “And now, I would also like to extend my personal apologies unto you.” Arthur never looked away from Tommy, but Gwen could see his jaw clicking and grinding together. 

Alfie could be a right prick, even in the hand of something seemingly sincere. Alfie wasn’t doing this out of the goodness in his heart. 

The actual apology was enough for Arthur to turn and look at Alfie for a mere moment, startled. He looked over to Gwen, then back to Tommy, who leaned against his desk with his arms crossed. Alfie put a hand over his heart, and nodded at Tommy. “All right?” He asked, seeming to need an okay from Tommy, who just looked….completely over what had just transpired. Alfie always had a knack for the dramatics.

Alfie turned back to Arthur.

“I hear that you have allowed Jesus to come into your life,” 

“Oh, you heard then.” It wasn’t a question from Arthur.

“Yeah, that’s beautiful, that’s wonderful.” Gwen rolled her eyes. “That’s lovely isn’t it?” Alfie made eye contact with Gwen, who bit her tongue, lest she tell him to go fuck himself back to Camden Town. Tommy wouldn’t appreciate that. “That’s lovely.” Tommy still had yet to say a word. “And I was wondering,” Here it is. “How does that work for you on a day to day? Considering your line of work, mate.” 

“Alfie,” Gwen barked, a warning. Tommy gave her a look to keep her quiet. Everyone already gave Arthur enough shit. She wasn’t about to let the biggest pain in her ass come in here and degrade him as well. 

“Your apology is accepted,” Whether that was true or not, Gwen didn’t know, but she knew that Arthur just wanted Alfie to stop talking to him.

“-‘Cause I hear you’re a right fucking nuisance with it.” Alfie said with a chuckle. Gwen could see Arthur visibly shake in anger. His hand moved to grab whatever was sitting closest to him to use as a weapon -a crystal ashtray.

“Enough!” Gwen stood from her seat.

“Gwen,” Tommy warned, holding a hand out.

“Whatever you,” She gestured between Tommy and Alfie, “and this fucking thief are doing, get on with it. This is a waste of time, and it’s grating on my last fucking nerve.” The clink of the ashtray falling back to the table was heard. 

“ _Thief?!_ ” Alfie shouted, appalled at the accusation. 

“Yeah, a thief, ‘cause you’re stealing my bloody oxygen and my time _ya fuckin’ prick_!” Gwen yelled back.

“Now you just hold on right there, Gwen-” Gwen pointed an accusing finger at the man.

“One more degrading word towards Arthur and I’m gonna take that nice cane you’ve brought with you, and I’m going to break both of your fuckin’ legs with it. Do you understand me?” Everyone was staring at Alfie to see just what kind of reaction he’d have, but he was staring at Gwen as if she hung the moon herself for Alfie, and Alfie alone. 

Alfie shifted in his chair a bit, letting the suspense roll, before letting out a big laugh. 

“If we’re gonna do business with this fucker, I demand to know why.” Arthur spat out to Tommy.

“Valid point, Arthur,” Gwen spoke up as she lit a cigarette. “Why the _fuck_ are we doing business with this _bawlow (*pig)_?” Johnny Dogs snorted, making Tommy sigh.

“I don’t know what you said, right ‘cause I don’t speak Pikey, but I know it was of the derogatory sort, innit,” Alfie sat up straighter in his chair. “I’m here to simply make amends,”

“Have you _ever_ told the truth in your life?”

“Right,” Tommy interrupted the squabbling pair. He got up from his spot leant up against his desk and walked around it. “While I was in the hospital, I formulated a plan, and this is how it’s gonna work.” He looked around the room at every person in it. John, Johnny, and Michael all moved closer to Tommy’s desk as he spoke. “The Russians can’t be trusted to pay us. We’re gonna take what is ours. We need to see what’s in their treasury. And that’s why we need Mr. Solomons.” Gwen scoffed. Alfie turned to smile at the irritated woman.

* * *

Bessie Smith played from the gramophone that was located in Gwendolyn’s parlor room as she checked on her roast in the kitchen. The modest house she now owned was just on the outskirts of Birmingham, still close enough to the businesses that she and Tommy ran, but far enough away from the bustling city to have some peace and quiet. 

After Ted died, or _technically_ went missing, Gwen sold the oversized house that he had bought closer to London, along with all of his belongings. Every remnant of his life was swiftly thrown out or sold -from his car to his shoes. Not a touch of Theodore Atkinson was left, aside from the gramophone and a few trinkets that were boxed up and hidden in the attic. The gramophone was the one thing Ted bought Gwen that she actually kept and used. The one thing he ever did that brought her joy. 

The sharp ring of the bell startled Gwen as she was sliding the Dutch castiron back into the oven without burning herself. The bell rang a second time and she looked up at the clock. Visitors at nearly 8:30pm wasn’t a usual thing. 

Quick to grab her pistol from her holster that was hanging by the door, she made sure it was loaded as the bell rang a third time. Gwen peeked through the peephole and sighed before holstering the gun. After twisting the locks, she opened the door to a dressed up Alfie. 

“What are you doing here?” He smiled at her, holding his cane between his hands as he stood on her porch.

“You going to leave a gentleman out in the cold?” 

“If I see a gentleman, I’ll let him in. _You_? I’d leave you in the middle of the train tracks if I had it my way,” Alfie smiled when she didn’t move. “I’m not in the mood to deal with you, Alfie,”

“Right, that’s my girl,” He let himself in, lightly pushing her out of the way so he could close and lock the door. Gwen took a deep breath to stop her from immediately smacking him. 

Alfie took his coat and hat off, hanging them next to her coat and holster. “See, the last time I was here, right, we left on not good terms.”

“We did.” Gwen agreed.

“Because,” He stressed, “Because, your brother, crazy lad that he was - _is_ \- tried to step on some toes he shouldn’t’ve, didn’t he. Caused a big ol’ stir up in London.” 

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Tommy?” Gwen asked, already bored of the conversation. Without waiting for his answer, she turned to go into the parlor to turn the gramophone off. 

“Russian business is all taken care of, no need to worry about that.” Gwen turned and started untying the waist of her apron. She pulled it off, folded it, and tossed it onto the parlor table.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood, see,” He waved his cane a bit, “and I said to m’self, what is that beautifully delicious aroma just wafting through the night sky? right, and my nose,” He tapped the right side of his nose, “brought me here.”

“You are so full of shit,”

* * *

Gwen sat across from Alfie at her small dinning table. A plate of steaming hot food sat in front of them both. 

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” Gwen started as she speared a slice of carrot. 

“This is absolutely delicious,” Alfie complimented, completely side-swiping her comment. Gwen set her fork and knife down, and stared at the man. She poured herself a glass of wine and took a rather large gulp. When he didn’t get a response, Alfie placed his fork down as well and cuffed his hands together. “That business with Sabini, it’s all water under the bridge now between me and Tom,”

“I’m not Tommy,” Alfie raised both brows and frowned.

“You are fucking correct in that.” Alfie took a deep breath and brought his eyes to Gwen. “I hurt you,”

“You did,” Gwen nodded, voice soft. “We were close Alfie, and what you did,” Gwen shook her head as her chair screeched when she pushed back and stood. Alfie was quick to follow, throwing his napkin down on the table, and following her out of the kitchen. 

Alfie’s much longer legs caught up to Gwen within a few strides and grabbed her arm to turn her. 

“Stop,” Alfie spoke. Gwen tried to pull herself from him, but he just pulled her to his chest and held on tight. Gwen pushed at his stomach and chest, trying to separate herself from him. “Stop, Gwen. Stop, alright?” Once she had stopped thrashing about, he allowed some space between them, and brought a hand up to cup her face. The look in Gwen’s crystalline eyes almost tore Alfie’s heart in two. The anger, the hurt, the sadness, the distress, the heartbreak -they all swam in her eyes because of him.

“I’m _not_ Tommy, and what we had was _not_ business.”

“I’m sorry,” Alfie mumbled as he brought his forehead down to hers, eyes watching for any sign of repulse. “I truly am, Gwen.” Try as she might, Gwen couldn’t stop her bottom lip from wobbling with her next breath. Alfie’s nose was close enough to brush against hers, his beard tickled the skin along her jaw. Gwen’s hands uncoiled the tension from their fists and moved to grasp onto the gray vest he had unbuttoned.

“Don’t do this to me again, Alfie,” She whispered, the space between them closing ever so slowly.

* * *

“You remember what happened to Ted,” Gwendolyn asked as she pulled the white sheets up to shield her body. Alfie nodded, solemnly, an arm wrapping around her shoulders to hold her to his chest. 

“Aye, I do. Buried ‘im myself.” She looked up at Alfie and gave his beard a light yank, pulling him closer to her. He raised an eyebrow.

“Pull that shit again, and you’ll be buried with him,” A small grin lifted Alfie’s lips and he moved his head forward to five a small peck to Gwen’s forehead.

“Yes, dear.”


End file.
